Son of Colombo crime boss wants his guilty plea removed

Michael Persico is accusing the
government of breaching an agreement in which he would face only 37 to 46
months in prison. Persico, son of crime boss Carmine (The Snake) Persico,
pleaded guilty more than two years ago to loansharking in a deal that protected
him from being prosecuted for several murders.

BY JOHN MARZULLI

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The reputed prince of the
Colombo crime family wants to rip up his guilty plea, the Daily News has
learned.

Michael Persico, who pleaded
guilty more than two years ago to loansharking in a sweet deal that also gave
him immunity from prosecution for several murders, is accusing the government
of breaching an agreement in which he would face only 37 to 46 months in prison
when he's sentenced by hard-hitting Brooklyn Federal Judge Sandra Townes.

Persico, 57, the son of jailed
Colombo boss Carmine (The Snake) Persico, is blanching at the possibility that
he could get up to five years in prison. "He should just man up and do his
time," said a disgusted law enforcement official.

Prosecutors argue that Persico
is stuck with his guilty plea, but if he gets his wish he better be careful —
he would go to trial facing murder conspiracy and extortion charges that could
put him away for more than 20 years if he's convicted.